"Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
#1
"Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
http://my.telegraph.co.uk/expat/anna...s-too-whingey/
A fairly short article, but what do you think?
I reckon there's an element of truth especially in respect of those who expect the UAE to be just like the UK and complain that the supermarkets aren't the same as Tesco. That said, times change and you aren't a better exxpat because you're roughing it.
A fairly short article, but what do you think?
I reckon there's an element of truth especially in respect of those who expect the UAE to be just like the UK and complain that the supermarkets aren't the same as Tesco. That said, times change and you aren't a better exxpat because you're roughing it.
#2
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Dubai, working at Dust World Central
Posts: 3,706
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
I think why bother going to work overseas if you expect it to be just like home. I like (OK maybe to strong a word) the differences, it's partly why I came out here. OK the main driver was cold hard cash but.......
#3
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
http://my.telegraph.co.uk/expat/anna...s-too-whingey/
A fairly short article, but what do you think?
I reckon there's an element of truth especially in respect of those who expect the UAE to be just like the UK and complain that the supermarkets aren't the same as Tesco. That said, times change and you aren't a better exxpat because you're roughing it.
A fairly short article, but what do you think?
I reckon there's an element of truth especially in respect of those who expect the UAE to be just like the UK and complain that the supermarkets aren't the same as Tesco. That said, times change and you aren't a better exxpat because you're roughing it.
The trouble with a percentage of expats in Dubai is that they think that Dubai life is the norm in the Gulf and when some of them have to move to another Gulf destination they fail miserably .
Can't see why people get parochial about Gulf cities . There's only a different depth of veneer in these places and everyone is faced with the same kind of crap day in and day out .
We all leave eventually
#4
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
Its not a new phenomenom, nor restricted to the Gulf. I have found that, generally, Brits are pretty poor at accepting the differences, and Americans the worst (their pioneer spirit seems to have completely withered and died in the space of a hundred years or so).
#5
Joined on April fools day
Joined: Apr 2012
Location: 30 miles from a decent grocery store.
Posts: 10,642
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
On a somewhat serious note, changes that American settlers adapted to were usually enviromental, almost never social. The social customs were brought with them and imposed where needed. Of course some mingling did occur mostly in the southwest.
#6
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
What expats are truly roughing it?
If not finding my favourite brand of peas in Tescos is roughing it then I am roughing it.
But otherwise even in off the track locations I have always had a very high standard of living, comparable to Europe in most cases but not trying to recreate it in my host country.
The only ones truly roughing it are O&G or civils guys in very remote locations, but living standards there also have risen dramatically.
edit to say “accept and embrace what’s available” I like this quote in the article
If not finding my favourite brand of peas in Tescos is roughing it then I am roughing it.
But otherwise even in off the track locations I have always had a very high standard of living, comparable to Europe in most cases but not trying to recreate it in my host country.
The only ones truly roughing it are O&G or civils guys in very remote locations, but living standards there also have risen dramatically.
edit to say “accept and embrace what’s available” I like this quote in the article
#8
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
Hmm. I really don't know how to deal with this. 30 years ago most people didn't have a clue where Dubai was. Now, it appears to be a victim of its own hype.
#9
Hit 16's
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine
Posts: 13,112
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
Really? (Not a sarcastic "really"). I'd have thought that with the great mix of nationalities that populated the States, there'd have been a lot of different social norms mixed together, or was it the case that national groups stuck together? Where's the social anthropologist when you need one?
#10
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
Really? (Not a sarcastic "really"). I'd have thought that with the great mix of nationalities that populated the States, there'd have been a lot of different social norms mixed together, or was it the case that national groups stuck together? Where's the social anthropologist when you need one?
#12
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,553
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
I'm not soft....... as long as I get my weekly mani-pedi at the salon, life is bearable.......
#13
Account Closed
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 0
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
The way I look at it is that I wouldn't go to some of places that I've put guys.
Take one chap...mega bucks salary, working in the arse end of Yemen. Rocket attacks on the project the day he landed so they wouldn't transfer him (because of road blocks etc) until it was a bit safer. He sat and chilled in the Hilton until it was safe to move to site. Still did it.
That's mental.
Dubai is not a hard life, but it's definitely not somewhere that you can always feel free to do whatever you want (legal or illegal).
The thing I reckon is that I'm 3500 miles from home, my mates, my sisters, my mummy, my nieces and nephews etc. and ever farther from my old man. That blows, but Dubai itsself makes it more than tolerable.
Take one chap...mega bucks salary, working in the arse end of Yemen. Rocket attacks on the project the day he landed so they wouldn't transfer him (because of road blocks etc) until it was a bit safer. He sat and chilled in the Hilton until it was safe to move to site. Still did it.
That's mental.
Dubai is not a hard life, but it's definitely not somewhere that you can always feel free to do whatever you want (legal or illegal).
The thing I reckon is that I'm 3500 miles from home, my mates, my sisters, my mummy, my nieces and nephews etc. and ever farther from my old man. That blows, but Dubai itsself makes it more than tolerable.
#14
womble
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,675
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
Compared to living in Saudi Arabia, Sakhalin, Lagos (& being pregnant there!), and Indonesian Borneo, living in Oman is a dream, and Dubai is just another world. Anyone who thinks Dubai is "hard", is "soft".
#15
Re: "Are Dubai's British expats too soft?"
I spent four very happy years in Oman. Going to Qatar after Oman was like regressing twenty years into the old hardship posting era.